Seven Days
by Roronoa211
Summary: Shuusun Roa is your everyday, grumpy student delinquent, bored to death by the school he attends. He's suddenly yanked out of his lazy routine when he happens across a man who manages to make him lose his mind. Literally. Fanfic for Teruul's fic, Race for One Piece. Roa/Lance
1. Chapter 1

_This is a fanfiction for Teruul's One Piece OC story, Race for One Piece. If you haven't read that, you should do it before reading this, otherwise this will make no sense ;)_

* * *

"Shuusun-kun, this will appear on the exams, so please pay attention!"

The blonde student sighed, but didn't move apart from a slight roll of his shoulders. His eyes were focused on the sky outside the classroom, letting him dream of anything and everything other than the boredom this school's classes provided him with.

"Shuusun-kun!"

He growled as he tore his eyes away from the window to glare at the teacher, who flinched as if electrified. Loya-sensei had always been on the jumpy side, and it didn't help that this student delinquent had evil eyes and a temper to go along with those.

"S-so, like I was saying, umm... Ah yes, you'll arrive at the solution to this function by derivating this, and..."

Shuusun Roa didn't even bother trying to pay attention to the teacher's words. He had arrived to the class only ten minutes earlier - late again - taken a seat in the far back and instantly shut out everything around him to sink into a state of daydreaming. He wasn't even too sure why he was attending these classes as he had next to zero interest in passing them.

Another frustrated sigh gusted past his lips when the student next to him poked his shoulder. "What?" he growled and sent a sideways glance at Atalaya, one of the only students he could stand to be around in the entire Raftell University.

"Wanna ditch next period and head to the dojo?" she asked quietly, her hands locked behind her head. She seemed to share his boredom. "I'll be happy to kick your ass in the ring again."

One of her friends' family owned a large chain of companies, and Studio Atlas Dojo was extremely famous in Grand Line. It was located near the edge of West Blue district, only a few blocks from where Roa lived. He'd visited the place often, only recently learning that Atalaya trained there as well. They had quickly fallen into a pattern of sparring against each other every now and then.

"You didn't kick my ass," he snapped and crossed his arms as he leaned back in his chair. "You stumbled over your own feet and happened to headbut me in an already cracked rib - thanks for that, by the way - so we had to interrupt the spar."

"Sounds like an asskicking to me."

Roa huffed and leaned his forehead against the window next to his desk. He always sat in this seat; furthest back and closest to the window. He was often asked why he attended university when he didn't seem to care about it in the least. He'd scowl at the ones who'd asked the question and simply state, "Because I'd be bored lying at home.", and in reality, the truth wasn't far from that.

His grandmother had asked him to attend university. Lyra had said Roa's parents always wanted him to do it, so she sent him here. She'd even said she didn't care what grades he got at all, as long as he attended. And since he hadn't gotten anything else to do with his days, he'd agreed to her request.

_So here I am_, he thought and snorted, the sound startling the students in front of him. _Gathering dust at the back of a classroom, barely even aware of what's going on around me._ He shook his head and reached inside his pocket, fished up his earphones and stuck them into his ears. He switched the music on from his phone and hummed in content as one of his favorite songs started playing, taking him even further away from reality.

* * *

Roa never went anywhere during lunch break. He stayed in the classroom, munching on whatever food he'd brought along for the day, the music in his ears blocking out every sound the other students made.

He arched an eyebrow when someone grabbed hold of the chair from the desk in front of him and turned it around so it would face him. A girl with dark green hair and yellow eyes plopped down into the seat and offered him a dazzling smile. Roa's only response was a nod. He didn't even bother taking out his earphones as he knew the girl wouldn't speak.

He and Fell had gone to the same school since fifth grade. Not once, during all these years, had Roa heard her speak. She'd said nothing when introduced to the class, she never answered the teachers' questions, and of course, it lead to severe bullying. Roa had watched from afar at first, but quickly decided to beat the crap out of one guy from the eight grade who had made fun of her hair.

Since then, Fell had followed him everywhere. She still never said a word, but Roa still understood everything she might've wanted to say. He considered her as a younger sister, so he accepted her company. He actually preferred the silence instead of if she'd been chattering non-stop.

A shade of irritation flashed over Fell's face as she focused her eyes on something behind Roa, and before he could question the expression, one of his earplugs were pulled out.

"Roa, I thought you had an... appointment this lunch?"

Somewhat surprised, he titled his head back to look up at Ruule, a guy he knew through Atalaya. He was one of the most clueless people Roa knew, with an ability to completely overlook the mood of the atmosphere. He could say anything at any time, somehow never seeming to be affected by others' words or actions.

The appointment he was referring to was another challenger. Roa was slightly unsure when it had all started, but only a few days after entering Raftel High, he'd gotten a reputation as a delinquent, and several others with similar reputations always sought him out with the hope to defeat him in a fistfight and take his reputation for themselves.

So far, _the blonde demon_ had gone undefeated.

"Was that today?" Roa sighed as he stood up and headed for the door, noticing several faces had turned in his direction. "See you later, Ruule, Fell," he said and raised his right hand in a lazy goodbye gesture as he left the class.

* * *

Less then ten minutes later, Roa was making his way back towards the classroom. A few fresh bruises on his knuckles were the only signs of what he had just done. The fight had been quick, with some guy named Foxy who had decided to rely on his luck and challenge him, resulting in a devastating loss for the dark-haired student.

Roa had been trained in martial arts since the age of four. Apparently it was tradition in the Shuusun family to be adept in fighting, so when his turn had come, he'd found it an excellent way to blow off some steam every now and then. However, lately, he seemed to get into more and more fights. It wasn't like he sought them out, they sought _him_ out. People he'd never seen before would show up out of nowhere and demand a fight. He silently wondered if he'd accidentally beat up a gang member or something.

"Oi, Roa!"

He exclaimed as an arm locked around his neck and tugged him forward. "Let go, Atalaya," he growled and tried to struggle free, but she only tightened her grip, a toothy grin on her lips.

"No way," she said and dragged him towards their classroom. "I won't release you until you agree to come to a karaoke party with me and some friends later today. You always refuse, so I'm gonna use force to get you along this time!"

"What party?"

"Dunno, really. This guy from class C, Luffy, invited me along and said I could bring my friends as well." Atalaya casually threw the door to their classroom open and pulled Roa inside, ignoring the shocked looks that instantly turned to them. "C'mon, say yes or you'll stay in this position for the rest of the day!" she chortled and used her free hand to tug at his long braid.

"That hurts, dammit!" Roa growled and struggled for a few more seconds before finally admitting defeat. "Fine, I'll come with you, just let me go, okay?"

Atalaya instantly released him and released a short laugh of triumph. "Awesome," she said and plopped down in her seat. "See, I wanted to bring a lot of people, and since Kitsune refused, I thought I'd finally reel you in."

"Kitsune?"

"Over there." Atalaya nodded towards the front of the class, where a guy with silver hair sat alone, a wide smirk on his lips as he spoke soundlessly into what looked like an expensive phone.

"Ahh, fox face," Roa said and tilted his head to the side as he observed the man. He had only exchanged a few words with him during their time together in school, and it had been more of a formal introduction than chit-chat. The man had always appeared slightly creepy in Roa's eyes, and for that, he'd kept his distance. Of course, he kept his distance from everybody.

Kitsune suddenly ended his call, and his smirk widened when he noticed Roa's stare. He offered the blonde a curt nod of the head before turning away, and somehow, that small gesture send cold shivers down Roa's spine. Creepy, he thought and sighed.

* * *

"Alright, let's get going!"

Roa flinched at the loud voice of the black-haired boy with the straw hat. "How can that volume erupt from such a small kid?" he muttered, rolling his shoulders as Atalaya chuckled next to him.

"Luffy's got a childish personality, but he's a great guy," she said and nudged him in the back to get him to move. "Come on, we're falling behind!"

It was a huge group moving towards the popular karaoke joint, Atlas Stages. Luffy alone had brought six of his friends, and what must've been his brother had an entire brigade of people following him. Fell and Ruule had also tagged along, and the corners of Roa's lips curled upwards as he tried to imagine Fell singing along to a karaoke.

"You're a really slow walker, you know."

He couldn't help but chuckle at Atalaya's accusing tone. "You don't have to wait for me," he said and nodded towards the rowdy crowd. "I'll catch up with you."

"Nah, I'm staying with you, slowpoke," Atalaya grinned. "I'll just go tell Luffy we'll be a little late."

She dashed forward, leaving Roa alone to curse at his bad luck. He hated loud noise and cramped spaces, so going to a karaoke joint was probably the worst idea for him. He tilted his head back to inhale the cool evening air, enjoying the silence while it lasted.

A sudden noise from an alley on the other side of the street stole his attention. He focused his eyes on the dark space, sucking on his teeth when he saw a group of heavy men dressed in dark clothes. Roa stopped walking to observe the men for a few seconds, and just as he was about to resume walking, he heard someone cry out, a voice that definitely didn't belong to one of the grown men.

Roa turned his attention back to the alley, and every single cell in his body froze when he saw a young man with dark blue hair, kneeling on the ground in the middle of the group of men. His arms were raised to shield his face, but they were of little assistance when one of the men fisted his hair and pulled his head back. The left side of the young man's face was completely covered with bruises and he was bleeding from the corner of his mouth, but despite his state, he was still wearing a feral scowl, his teeth bared as he attempted to struggle free from the grip.

A feeling he'd never felt before bubbled up inside Roa. As if the blood in his veins would've been replaced with liquid fire, his body suddenly burned with inexplicable rage, an anger so intense it felt like he would explode, and when the blue-haired man released another pained exclaim, Roa dropped his bag onto the ground and sprinted towards the alley, not even seeing nor hearing the several cars that were forced to brake to not hit him.

_What am I doing?_ he thought as he lunged himself at the closest of the men. He braced his arm and smashed his elbow into the man's chest, not even waiting for him to drop before switching targets. _I can't calm down. I feel like I'm boiling._

Roa planted his right heel into the face of the other man, pressing further even after he heard the nose break. The man fell backwards and slammed into the ground, and not before blood had started soiling his shoe did Roa step back. Someone grabbed hold of his arms from behind, and he growled as one of the men punched him in the face. He refused to even budge, and he emitted a feral snarl as he kicked off the ground and kneed his restrainer in the jaw, effectively freeing him from his prison.

Without letting the last man standing get away or even brace himself, Roa burst forward and fisted the hem of the man's hoodie. "Bastard," he growled and pushed the man backwards and against the brick wall. It was as if his anger blinded him, took complete control over his body, and what little rationality remained kept repeating the questions, _Why am I doing this? Why am I so angry?_

"I'll tear out your insides," Roa growled and drove his fist into the man's cheek, not faltering at all as he heard the jaw crack. Instead of retreating, he withdrew his arm to brace it for another blow. "I'll break every single bone in your body, you-"

"Wait!"

The voice made the fire in Roa's veins vanish as quickly as they had appeared. He blinked repeatedly as if he'd just woken up, and his eyes widened when he realized he was still practically choking the man who he'd pushed up against the wall. He quickly released his grip and stepped back, breathing heavily as if he'd been running.

The man instantly instantly escaped along with the three others, and Roa stood still for a few seconds, staring at the brick wall as if it showed him the correct explanation to the meaning of life. "I... I don't know what..." He swallowed thickly as the words seemed to betray him, refusing to leave his lips in full sentences.

A rustle behind him made him whirl around, and he found he could produce no more sounds when his blue eyes locked with dark grey. The blue-haired man was sitting on the ground, leaning against the opposite wall of the alley. His lips were parted as if he wanted to speak, but nothing seemed to come out. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, and several rushes of cold shivers trailed down Roa's spine at the piercing look the blue-haired man had.

Slowly, the realization that this man had had some sort of effect on him made Roa regain control over his numb limbs. He quickly averted his gaze, and his heart sank like a stone in his chest when he saw Atalaya standing at the edge of the alley, his bag in her arms, horror-mixed shock on her face. Next to her stood Fell, hands clamped down over her mouth, eyes wide as she stared at him.

"Roa—"

Without letting her finish, Roa darted over to her, tore his bag from Atalaya's hands and growled, "I'm not coming today.", and took off along the streets, guilt and confusion making him unable to look at either Fell, Atalaya or the blue-haired young man

* * *

**Yo! Okay, so I've been working on this for a few months, trying to decide wether or not to post it, and now I did. It's kind of a late "happy one year anniversary" gift for Teruul :) I'm not sure how long this'll be, but I say at least 10 chapters :D I'll upload when I feel like it, but most likely one a week or every other.**

**Review if you like it! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

_Back with the second chapter, a little later than I intended, but still :) enjoy!_

* * *

Roa thanked his lucky star the following day was a saturday and did not demand his presence at the university. He was tired as hell, having stayed up all night to dwell on what the hell had happened to him last night.

The mere sight of the blue-haired man being beaten by those men had completely wiped out his train of thought and sent him into a full-blown, almost animalistic rage. He suddenly wanted to hurt the thugs as much as possible, to the extent of almost killing them. And as easily as the man had caused it, he'd also reverted it back to normal.

Roa had a vague feeling he'd seen the blue-haired man somewhere before, but no matter how much he searched his mind, he couldn't place him. The striking blue hair would certainly leave a lasting image, but then again, Roa had never been very interested in his surroundings.

A deep sigh gusted past his lips as he rose into a sitting position on his bed and looked around. The small apartment was messy, with dishes piling up in the sink and dirty clothes covered most of his sofa. The curtains were closed over his one large window, completely blocking out the strong sunlight.

"Shit..." Roa growled as the image of Atalaya and Fell's expressions flashed before his eyes. They had stared at him as if staring at something out of this world, and he couldn't blame them; if he'd seen someone flip out and go berserk on a couple of heavy thugs, he'd probably wear the same expression.

A loud beep made him jump up in shock, and he cursed when he realized it was his phone. He picked it up, a crease settling in his forehead when he found a message from Atalaya, containing only two words, "Wanna talk?". Roa replied with an instant "No.". Not three seconds passed before he got a new message, and he couldn't help but curl his lips into the tiniest of smirks as he read, "Your loss, stupid. See you Monday!".

"Thanks, captain," he sighed and tossed the phone to the side. _Captain_ was a nickname Atalaya had received from her dojo, where she appeared as some sort of living legend. She was only a trainee, but all the others, be they kids or young adults, who came to train to the dojo called her the _captain of the dojo brigade_, which Roa found plain ridiculous, but he still called her captain now and then.

He groaned as he hoisted himself up from the bed. He really needed to clean his apartment. He reached out for a clean shirt and pulled it over his head, wincing slightly as his bruised temple stung from the action. He looked down at his hands and huffed as he found his knuckles were colored a deep purple, and clenching his hands into fists was slightly painful.

This wasn't the first time Roa got injuries like these, so he only needed to stroll into his bathroom to find soothing salves and bandaids. He carelessly tied his hands with bandages, more as a reminder to not strain his hands too much than to heal. After standing in the middle of his one-room apartment, he decided to start cleaning it up if even just a little.

As he fetched a plastic bag to toss all discarded pieces of paper and empty chips bags, his thoughts strayed back to the blue-haired man and he attempted to find a rational cause for his immense anger. He had seen people get beat up before, hell, he had been on the beating end as well as the receiving end since he was a teenager, but not even then had he been this furious.

The young man's strained voce when he'd cried out had repressed all emotions in his body. The sight of the man's face, the pain-mixed sneer had filled his empty mind with fire.

_There had to be a way to explain this phenomenon_.

After he'd finished cleaning - leaving the dishes to another day because of his bandaids - Roa opened the window and let himself fall down onto his bed, laying face down as he listened to the traffic outside. Cars, the chattering people, the distant twitter of the birds, all of these had a soothing effect on him, and the lack of sleep last night quickly kicked in and made him fall asleep.

* * *

Sunday flew past with haste, and Roa suddenly found himself sitting at his usual spot in the back of the classroom, slightly nervous. He found he couldn't even drift off into daydreaming like he usually would during the lessons, he dreaded the inevitable meeting with Atalaya. Not to mention Fell.

At least none of the other students seemed to have found out about what had happened on friday. They would probably not even dare to be in the same room with him if they knew he had beat the living shit out of a bunch of guys almost twice as thick as him. The image of students escaping the university halls as he'd walk to his classes made him snort loudly.

"Oh, you're not completely messed up yet, huh?"

Roa flinched and whirled around in his seat, his eyes widening when they landed on Atalaya, who was leaning against the backrest of his chair. "Yo," she said and grinned at his dumbfounded expression. "I thought you wouldn't come to school today."

"Why wouldn't I?" Roa grumbled and turned his attention back to the world outside the window, propping up his elbows on the desk and resting his head in his left hand. A few seconds of silence stretched between the two before he sighed. "I'm surprised no one here knows," he said, his voice muffled as he spoke into his own palm.

"That's because Fell and I were the only witnesses," Atalaya hummed and sat on her knees next to his desk, resting her arms and head on the table. "I wouldn't sell out one of my best friends just like that, and Fell... well, you didn't seriously think _she_'d tell anyone, did you?"

Roa emitted a chuckle, but he quickly used his hand to suffocate the sound. "So," Atalaya went on, arching a curious eyebrow as she observed his face. "What really happened back there?"

"I don't know."

"If you don't wanna talk about it-"

"No, I mean I have no clue what happened." Roa sighed and leaned back in his chair, stuck his hands down his pockets and stared up into the roof. "I took one look at that guy, and the next thing I knew I was strangling some random thug, prepared to break his face with my bare hands," he mumbled and closed his eyes. "I've never been that angry before, and then I just took off... What happened to him after I left?"

Atalaya stared at him for a few seconds before blinking as if she didn't even realize he'd asked a question. "Oh, Fell and I called an ambulance," she said and stood up straight, locking her hands behind her head as she moved to take her seat at her desk. "But you know, I have the feeling I have seen that guy before..."

Before Roa could do more than stare up at her in surprise at the last remark, the doors opened again and their teacher stepped inside, a wad of papers in her arms. "Alright, students, it's time for your exams," she chirped and started passing around the papers, her eyes lingering at Roa, who had released a groan and leaned over his desk, crossing his arms to form a comfortable pillow for his head.

He couldn't care less about a test, so when the papers were passed to him, he scribbled his name down on the sheet and set down his pencil, that being the extent of his work this lesson. He usually slept through the tests in math since he knew he wouldn't pass even if he tried, but something kept him dangling somewhere between sleep and awake. The feeling on being constantly stared at kept him on edge, and he raised his head to glare at the other students once every five minutes, but no one seemed to be even glancing in his direction.

Finally, halfway through the lesson, he was able to shake off the feeling and nod off, the blissful land of sleep welcoming him once again.

* * *

Roa had only been asleep for forty-five minutes when he was woken up by a persistent poking at his forehead. "What the hell are you..." His voice trailed off when he found Fell sitting in front of him, a small smile on her face as she kept poking his brow. "It's lunch already?" Roa yawned and straightened his aching back.

Fell nodded and flicked her head towards the large clock above the blackboard, which showed there was over half an hour left of their lunch break. Roa hummed as he stretched his arms, and he furrowed his brow as he focused his attention on Fell. "Are you... I mean, about friday-"

Before he could form the question, Fell reached behind him and grabbed hold of his braid, bringing it to the front so she could toy with it, and the simple act lifted a monumental burden from Roa's shoulders. Fell had always done it whenever he was upset, to show that she wasn't angry or judging him. "So I didn't manage to scare you yet, huh?" Roa mumbled, chuckling in relief when she shook her head, a sweet smile on her lips. "Thanks, weirdo."

Fell giggled soundlessly at the nickname and brushed the tip of Roa's braid over his nose, causing him to sneeze. "Cut it out," he said and stood up, hoisting his bag over his shoulder. "I'm going home for today, I'm too tired to stay here right now. Tell Atalaya for me, would you?"

A pout settled onto the girl's face, but she nodded all the same, so Roa quickly fled the classroom. He sighed in relief as he strolled through the massive crowds in the university halls. No one looked at him like he was a monster, which was exactly what he felt he had become on friday night. A bloodthirsty monster, willing to deal as much pain as possible.

He pushed all such thoughts aside when he stepped outside into the warm spring breeze. It was already late May, and the dark pants he was wearing instantly heated up, leaving him wondering if it would be high time to switch to shorts. He stood still for a few seconds, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the warmth of the sunlight, and when he returned to reality and moved to take a step, he halted when he saw a black limo had pulled up just outside the school yard.

"The hell..?" Roa muttered and stuck his hands down his pockets as he moved towards the exit, trying his best to keep his eyes away from the shining vehicle. He sent a sideways glance at one of the tinted windows as he was about to pass one of the doors, but before he had the chance to walk past it, the door flew open and collided with Roa's abdomen, effectively knocking the student off his feet.

Roa exclaimed when the back of his head smashed against the concrete street, and a livid irritation quickly flared up in his body. "What the hell do you think you're doing, bastard?!" he growled and jumped to his feet, ready to teach the one who had opened the door a valuable lesson, but before he could even grab hold of the door, a cold voice sounded from inside the car.

"Aa-ah, sorry 'bout that, blondie. I didn't think I could'a stopped ya any other way. Step inside fer a bit, would ya?"

"Screw that," Roa growled and slammed the door shut as hard as he could. He turned on the heel and made way to stomp away from the expensive car, but before he could get very far, the driver's door opened and a large, well-built man stepped outside.

"Yes, yes, yes," the man said and placed his hands on Roa's shoulders, the strength of his grip making the student wonder if his days were numbered right here and now. "Please, do accompany us for a few moments." He picked up Roa as if he would've been made out of feathers, opened the door and practically threw him inside. "Will this do?"

"Appreciated, Jonas. Take us home now, yeah?"

"Right away, sir."

Roa growled as he sat up straight, ready to give his abductors a piece of his mind, but all words died in his throat when he found himself sitting face to face with Kitsune, the silver-haired student Atalaya had spoken of. However, he looked much older now. Gone was the school's uniform, only to be replaced by a pitch-black suit, a white dress shirt and a grey tie.

"Nice ta officially meet ya, blondie," he said and reached out a hand towards Roa, who didn't even seem to notice it. "Ya know who I am, yeah?"

"You... You're that guy from my class," Roa stuttered and looked around in the fancy car. "Fox face."

Kitsune threw his head back and released a bark of laughter, the eerie sound sending shivers down Roa's spine. "Fox face, eh?" the man jingled. "Ya can call me whatever ya want, but I'm known in yer school as Kitsune."

"What, you're _not_ known as Kitsune outside our school?" Roa asked sarcastically, his eyebrows flying up to his hairline when Kitsune nodded in confirmation. "The hell? Then who are you?" Having a conversation with this man only strengthened Roa's previous thought of him being creepy, and Roa quickly found himself wishing the man would open his eyes even once.

"Let's stick with Kitsune fer now," he answered, a mischievous tone in his voice. "Or fox face, if that suits yer fancy."

"Alright, fox face, wanna tell me what I'm doing here?"

Kitsune nodded and leaned forward, the almost dangerous smirk on his lips giving Roa a very bad feeling. "Where were ya and what were ya doin' around 6 PM last Friday?" he asked.

As if someone would've punched Roa in the gut, he suddenly felt his insides constrict violently. 6 PM had been the exact time when they had been on their way to the karaoke, as well as the exact time where he had lost his senses in anger. "You... are you a cop?" he growled and backed as far into the seat as possible.

The first sign on genuine emotions flashed over Kitsune's face as complete surprise took over his features. The silence that followed was almost deafening. Then, Kitsune broke out in a laughter so violent, he had to tie his arms around his stomach to counter the cramps. "A cop!" he guffawed, his response only making Roa's defiance double. "Ya seriously think I'm a cop? Limo, private chauffeur and yer guess 's that I'm a _cop_?!"

"Well, excuse me," Roa snapped and crossed his arms over his chest. "But that would be the most likely reason why you would ask a question like that, especially after what I did!"

He didn't realize he'd said a bit too much before Kitsune stopped laughing and faced him again, a triumphant smirk stretching his lips. "Ah, shit," he muttered and buried his face in his hands. "Stupid idiot!"

"Don't beat yerself up, blondie," Kitsune jingled. "I already know what ya did, I just needed ta confirm." He chuckled under the shocked stare Roa sent him. "Worry not, I ain't a cop and I ain't gonna arrest ya," he said.

"Then what do you want from me?"

"I wanna offer ya a job."

* * *

**Mysterious Kitsune is mysterious. x) I'll update the next chapter sooner, by the end of this week, I think, so hope you like this one, and goodbye till next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

"I wanna offer ya a job."

Roa stared at Kitsune, eyes the size of baseballs and jaw on the floor, wondering if he'd heard correctly. The man calmly returned his look, that irritatingly wide smile set on his lips and eyebrows arched in expectation as he waited for the student to snap out of his daze.

"What-" Roa had to clear his throat to find his voice again. "A job," he repeated slowly. "How the hell can you be willing to offer me a job? Especially if you know what I did in that alley on Friday?"

"'S the best part, really," Kitsune snorted. "Yer job would be the temporary post as a bodyguard fer one of my clients."

"Body-" The words seemed to betray Roa, and he brought a hand up to rub his forehead as he tried to organize his thoughts. This whole scenario was absurd, and it got even more senseless with each passing second. "One of your clients," he stated, and Kitsune nodded. "What the hell do you do for a living, fox face?"

The man chortled and shook his head. "Can't tell ya that if ya don't accept the offer," he said and crossed his legs, his expression menacing. "The job's fer a week's time, when I'll be absent from this country. Got other duties callin'. While I'm away, I need someone ta make sure the client in question's kept safe, and based on what I saw last week, I say yer more than capable fer a job like this."

"But I can't... I mean... I'm a student!" Roa said loudly and threw his arms out to the sides. "You're expecting me to drop out of school to follow around some VIP all day?"

"Yer really tryin' ta tell me yer dedicated ta yer studies?" Kitsune sighed deeply and picked up a file from the seat next to him. "I gotta say, Shuusun Roa-kun, ya ain't seem ta have much interest," he jingled and pulled out the last five tests Roa had written, all with worse than terrible results.

"So what?" Roa snapped, not embarrassed in the least. "I'm not aiming for any grades at all, I just have to attend every day!"

Kitsune shrugged and slipped the tests back into the file. "Either way, it shouldn't be a problem," he said. "The client in question is a student at yer school."

Whatever Roa had expected, it wasn't this. "A student?" he repeated. "Who?"

"We're on our way ta meet 'em right now. In fact, I think we should be arrivin' at any second."

Barely had those words left his lips before the limo came to a stop, and Roa's jaw dropped to the floor when he looked out of the window to see they had pulled up into the driveway of what looked like a castle. The manor was huge, ornate with large, victorian style windows and beautifully carved decorative pillars holding up a balcony large enough to fit Roa's entire apartment.

"'S somethin', no?" Kitsune jingled when they stepped outside, Roa's shock extending even further when he saw the manor's garden, which seemed to be the same size as the house. "Ya don't really expect anyone ta live in houses like this, huh? C'mon, blondie, the young lord's waiting fer ya."

"_Lord_?" Roa scoffed and stuck his hands deep into his pockets. "If this guy's my age, I'm not gonna call him _lord_," he said. "Oh, for the love of-"

Kitsune had rung the doorbell, and Roa couldn't help but roll his eyes when a maid opened the large doors, bowing down as the two stepped inside. "Young Master is expecting you in the study, sir Kitsune," she said and motioned for them to move through the humongous hall and to a wide staircase.

"Aye," Kitsune hummed and made way for the stairs, and Roa had to really focus to not twist his head to the sides to look at the several paintings, sculptures and decorations on the walls like a kid in a candy shop, but he couldn't help but release an exclaim when looked up to the tall roof only to see what remained of a live sailor ship hanging in steel threads from the roof. The figurehead was vaguely shaped like a tiger, and although Roa could see the ship was decades, maybe centuries old, the sleek wood still shone brightly in the sun that leaked in from the large windows.

"C'mon, blondie, yer takin' too long."

Roa snapped out of his daze and hurried up the stairs, keeping completely silent as he followed Kitsune to the left and through a long corridor. Halfway through the hall, the man stopped and turned to face Roa with a wide smile. "Best behavior, yeah, blondie?" he said.

"What are you-"

Before Roa got the chance to protest, Kitsune grabbed hold of his shoulder with a surprisingly strong grip, opened the door and practically tossed Roa inside, chuckling as the student landed face first on the carpet. "Brought ya yer new bodyguard, young lord," he jingled.

Roa ground his teeth together and rose into a sitting position, turning to send a furious glare at Kitsune, who returned his glare with a mischievous smile. _Bastard_, he thought.

"Have I not asked you time and time again to stop calling me that, Kitsune?"

The voice sounded from not far behind Roa, who suddenly had a hard time remembering how to breathe. A feeling all too familiar spread through his veins, and he had to clench his hands into fists to stop them from trembling. _This can't be happening_, he thought and slowly turned around, his eyes widening when they landed on the blue-haired youth that had occupied his mind for the past three days.

The man's eyes widened slightly as they locked with Roa's, and his lips parted slightly in surprise. "You..." he breathed out, absentmindedly bringing a hand up to stroke at his temple. Although the bruises on his face were almost healed, a yellowish shade still covered the entire left side of his face. A darker hue on the side of his neck indicated he'd been throttled as well, and the mere sight of the bruises made a dangerous spark of anger set in the depths of Roa's mind, waiting to explode at first sign of trouble.

"Aight, fancy pants, but callin' ya by yer first name's against the rules," Kitsune said loudly, snapping both Roa and the blue-haired man out of their daze. "Ya two already met each other, yeah?"

The man nodded curtly and averted his gaze from Roa, who couldn't bring himself to do the same. He stuck his hands into his jacket's pockets to hide the fact he was having a hard time coping with the strange feeling he was experiencing.

"Good, at least ya both remember," Kitsune hummed and pushed Roa forward, making the student stumble as his hands were currently unavailable to provide an assist in balance. "Fancy pants, yer new bodyguard's name's Shuusun Roa."

"I know his name," the young man said, still not willing to look at Roa. "We attend the same class at Raftel University."

"Ya do?"

"What?!" Roa groaned internally as the word had left his lips in a loud exclaim, but at least it served to once again capture the young man's eyes. "We don't go to the same class," he said, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Oh, so you are _not_ the blonde delinquent who sits at the far back of classroom 27, constantly staring out the window and listening to music during class?"

Though everything he'd just said was correct, Roa didn't like his tone in the least. "Then how come I've never seen _you_ before?" he growled.

"I sit at your row, but at the very front," the man sighed. "I have kept my hair colored black for almost six months now to not stand out so much, but the effect wore off one week ago... And with the amount of attention you pay during your time in school, I'm certain you would not be able to recognize me even if I had been sitting on top of your desk."

The corners of Roa's lips curled back into a snarl, but before he could give the man a sour retort, Kitsune stepped in between them. "Cool it off a li'l, yeah?" he chuckled. "Blondie, fancy pants over here's the heir and successor ta Atlas, the largest chain of companies Japan's ever seen. The late director's only son..." His voice trailed off and he nodded at the blue-haired man as if to tell him to introduce himself.

"Lance," he said curtly.

Roa's eyes widened in shock when he realized why the blue-haired man had seemed so familiar. Not a week ago, a picture had been spread out over the front page of Grand Line News with the title, "_Atlas CO Director Funeral_.". The picture had been of the ceremony, where countless people dressed in black had been gathered around the grave, and in the middle, Lance had been standing, his blue hair visually separating him from everybody else.

"Well, this makes things easier, no?" Kitsune hummed and pulled out a piece of paper from the file he'd been carrying. "So, blondie, sign this and we should be set ta go."

"At what point did I say I'd take the job?" Roa scoffed and glared at Lance. Even though the fire was still present in the back of his mind, he was currently feeling nothing positive towards the youth. "You haven't still given me even one reason why I should accept."

"If it's 'bout money, ya can see there's lots ta go 'round."

"It's _not_ about money," Roa growled, the mere thought an insult. "But I need a bloody good reason to hang around that pretty boy over there for a week, constantly having to endure his presence!"

"Pretty boy?" Lance repeated slowly, an expression of offense and rage settling onto his features. "What insolence from an obnoxious delinquent as yourself!"

Once again, Kitsune had to step up in front of Roa to stop the two from murdering each other with their glares alone. "All valid nicknames, but let's focus on the matter at hand first, yeah?" he sang, sending Lance a quick smile and a nod before grabbing hold of Roa's right arm and pulling him towards the door. "'Scuse us fer a moment, fancy pants."

Well outside, Kitsune swiftly kicked the back of Roa's left knee, making him drop into a sitting position with his back against the wall. "What the-"

"Arite, blondie, listen up an' listen well." A rush of goosebumps broke out over Roa's arms at the sudden change in Kitsune's tone. The silver-haired man leaned over him, speaking quietly so no one else in the world would hear. "I followed the entire scene where ya flipped out and went all incredible hulk on those thugs," he said. "And I ain't got a clue why, but I know it was somethin' 'bout the young lord that made ya go berserk. Correct so far?"

Unable to do anything else, Roa nodded. "Arite, now let me paint ya a li'l picture," Kitsune went on, his voice cold as ice. "Say I leave the young lord without a bodyguard while I'm away on business. What do ya think's gonna happen? At the moment, he's the underworld's most wanted man. Ya get his signature on a piece of paper, ya could live like a king fer more than one lifetime. How would one get that signature? They kidnap him. How do they convince him ta sign? Torture."

The word made the fire in Roa's mind flare dangerously like a provoked beast threateningly baring its teeth at its assailant, and although Kitsune could sense the sudden shift in the student, he didn't stop talking. "Carve his skin, break his bones, drug him, anythin' that pops inta mind," he whispered, his lips only a few inches from Roa's ear. "And when they're done, when the young lord ain't needed no more, they-"

"Alright, I got it!" Roa jumped to his feet and quickly secured a safe distance between himself and Kitsune, who's expression instantly switched back to the usual smirk. "I'll sign the damn paper," he snarled. "Just stop speaking about disgusting shit like that!"

"Fantastic," Kitsune said loudly and clapped his hands together before fishing up a pencil from his chest pocket. "Arite, so put yer name there..." He waited until Roa had signed the document before releasing a triumphant chortle and swinging the door to Lance's study open again. "So, as I was sayin', we're good ta go," he jingled and let the document flutter down onto the desk. "Yer gonna be seein' a lot of each other from now on, so try ta be nice, yeah?"

Lance sent Roa a look indicating he wasn't about strain himself to be friendly, a look the blonde returned with equal disdain. Either not seeing it or choosing to ignore it, Kitsune resumed speaking as if nothing was out of order. "Now, ya ain't on duty until tomorrow mornin', the very second I drop fancy pants off at the university," he said and flipped through a small calender. "After that, yer gonna have ta stick together no matter where ya go, which means, blondie, if he needs ta go ta the bathroom, yer keepin' watch outside."

"Yeah, because there's gonna be an assassin in the toilet stalls," Roa scoffed, but he instantly wished he hadn't said anything when Kitsune smacked the calendar over his head.

"Ya ain't takin' this seriously enough," the silver-haired man sneered. "Better get this inta yer head, blondie; yer gonna become siamese twins fer the next seven days. Yer gonna have ta gather yer things and move here, and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Roa raised a hand to interrupt Kitsune, who arched a curious eyebrow in return. "I'm not moving here," the blonde said curtly. "No way. I can agree to guarding the bathroom and taking him to his ballet-lessons or whatever it is he does on his spare time, but if we have to live together, he's moving in with me."

Kitsune tilted his head to the side and sighed in defeat when he realized arguing with Roa over this would lead them nowhere. "Arite, fancy pants, ya gotta cope with this," he said. "It might actually prove ta be smarter, seein' as no one would expect ya ta be stayin' anywhere beside the manor." He turned to face Lance, whose scowl informed them how dissatisfied he was with this arrangement, but he nodded all the same.

"I do hope a caveman like you have had enough sense to at least acquire hot water," he sighed and turned his back to Roa, who had to really focus to suppress the will to strangle the blue-haired man.

"Arite, maybe ya should head home fer today, blondie," Kitsune said, for the first time showing a form of exhaustion as he closed his calender and rubbed at his forehead. "I'll have Jonas drive ya home, and a file with all information yer gonna need fer the followin' days will be delivered ta yer address in three hours. Sound good?"

"I'll walk home," Roa grumbled and turned around on the heel, steering his steps towards the door. "I'll wait for you at the university gates tomorrow morning."

* * *

**So there's the explanation for this story's name, Seven Days. Heheh, Roa spending seven full days with Lance... lots of things can happen, right? ;) until next time!**


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